1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a multi-state support and, more particularly, to a support which provides skating and walking states.
2. Description of the Related Art
Roller skating has always been an exciting recreational sport. In order to provide rollers on which one may skate, it has been necessary to either remove one's shoes and replace them with roller skates or attach to one's shoes, removable skating assemblies. In either case, however, one must remove the skate in order to walk without significant difficulty. Examples of skates and skating assemblies which are known in the art are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,271,891, U.S. Pat. No. 1,616,442, U.S. Pat. No. 2,548,391, U.S. Pat. No. 3,306,623, U.S. Pat. No. 4,988,122, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,362,076. Each of the references listed above teaches a roller skate that must be removed to permit walking without significant difficulty.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,355,474 teaches a flexible sheet to be placed over the wheels of a traditional roller skate so as to provide a walking surface and thus, eliminate the need to remove the skates to permit walking. The sheet, however, must be removed from the skate and must be carried by the user. Since this sheet is removable, it is susceptible to loss.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,979,842, U.S. Pat. No. 3,983,643, U.S. Pat. No. 4,333,249, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,398,970 each illustrate mechanically positioned retractable rollers which may be stored in the shoe sole to provide a shoe or which may be extended from the sole to provide a skate. In each of the references teaching mechanically extending rollers, the height of the skate is increased due to the increased thickness of the sole to provide a storage location for the rollers, thus increasing the risk of serious ankle injury to the user while walking and/or skating.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,988,122 illustrates a skate which removably connects to a roller assembly or an ice skate assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,971,144 illustrates a ski boot which is convertible to a walking shoe.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a support which converts easily between skating and walking states.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a support which easily stores the roller assembly without substantially increasing the distance of the support surface from the ground when the support occupies the walking and/or skating states.
It is a further objective of the present invention to minimize the risk of injury to a skater using the skating/walking shoe.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a skating/walking shoe which converts between skating and walking states, the individual components thereof being attached to the support while the support occupies either the skating or the walking states.